100-word Tigerclaw Drabbles
by purplefern
Summary: Because there aren't enough Tigerclaw fanfictions, in my opinion.
1. Chapter 1

Word-of-the-Day prompt: Gibbosity

Definition: the state of being hunchbacked

Quick summary: Teenage Tigerclaw in the criminal underworld. You do what you have to to survive.

* * *

Tigerclaw looked down at his prey from the rooftops, and old begging man, struck with gibbosity. The teen cringed slightly at the thought of robbing someone so helpless, but soon shook it off. This was the only way he could survive in the cruel world in which he lived; especially someone like him.

Living in the criminal underbelly of the city, Tigerclaw learned that it was eat or be eaten; and you did whatever you had to to survive. If that meant robbing an old hunchback of his dinner, then so be it. So he took a breath, and jumped.

* * *

_Because boredom, and lack of inspiration on other stories. Also, I don't think there's enough Tigerclaw on this site. So, I found a word-of-the-day and used it to write a 100 word Tigerclaw drabble. So, R&R, more than likely until next chapter, I think I like this idea. _


	2. Chapter 2

Word-of-the-Day: Disambiguate

Definition: to remove ambiguity from

Quick summary: Tigerclaw reflects on living in the now, instead of living in the past.

* * *

Tigerclaw could remember, just barely, a time when he had been in a state like his new ally Bradford was in. He had been a child torn between the human life he remembered, and the mutant life he was resigned to. It was a miserable experience, but Tigerclaw had long since moved past it.

His life, his sense of self was disambiguated when he had shoved his human memories away and lived only as what he had become. Now, only if he greatly struggled could he remember his human face, but his human name completely was out of his reach.

* * *

_I think I used that word correctly... R&R, until next chapter. _


	3. Chapter 3

Word-of-the-Day: shtick

Definition: do you really need one?

Quick summary: A young Tigerclaw's boss does some thinking.

* * *

The ringmaster chuckled to himself, thinking, _What a great shtick. Find a freak, put him in an "act", and let people empty their pockets to get a look at 'em. Ha, there's one born every minute. _

Here he frowned, thinking of his newest addition. Annoying and impossible, that one was. Always refusing to listen, then crying for his parents. Yeesh, did that mean that there were more freaks like him? It only made things worse that the kid spoke little English. Well, he'd have to learn, or else the ringmaster would let the trainer's whip do the talking for him.

* * *

_Poor little Tigerclaw, the circus is one of the worst places for a mutant. Well, my version. Who knows? Maybe he was in a nice circus or something. R&R, until next chapter. _


	4. Chapter 4

Word-of-the-Day: Gloaming

Definition: twilight /dusk

Summary: Tigerclaw remembers a happy moment.

* * *

Tigerclaw can't remember many happy moments in his life, but there is one that he will never forget. A memory of a simple everyday scene, a man and a women sitting on a porch with their child between them, all of them silhouetted by the gloaming light. They were celebrating something, he couldn't remember what, but he well remembered the peace, happiness, and love that that moment contained.

Tigerclaw couldn't fight the bittersweet smile when he got to the end. The women embraced her child then kissed the top of his head as she carried him in for the night.

* * *

_Please review! Until next chapter! _


	5. Chapter 5

Word-of-the-Day: rimple

Definition: to wrinkle

Quick summary: Tigerclaw's first job.

* * *

Tigerclaw rimpled the scrap of paper in his hand; claws tearing holes in it and warping the writing on it further. All the note contained was a name and address, which he had already memorized. The name and address of the man he was going to kill. The first man he was hired to kill.

Tigerclaw had killed before- and had claimed their weapons afterwards- but this was the first time he was killing for pay. He didn't know when he had turned into an assassin for hire, but after this job, he knew there would be no turning back.

* * *

_R&R, please. (And thank you, Bubblyshell, for your reviews. If it weren't for you this poor story wouldn't have any reviews at all.) Until next chapter. _


	6. Chapter 6

Word-of-the-Day: lambent

Definition: softly bright or radiant

Quick Summary: On the hunt. Tigerclaw does the job from the last chapter.

* * *

The full moon's lambent light shone down on Tigerclaw as he stalked quietly after his prey. Ears swiveled on his head, listening for any sign of the prey's movement. Lifting his head in the air, Tigerclaw took a deep sniff, hoping to find a scent. Nothing.

Not wanting to admit defeat, he tried again, concentrating. This time, he found the scent. His claws unsheathed in anticipation of the kill, but he retracted them, instead reaching for one of the guns at his hip. He needed a weapon for a professional kill. This wasn't a hunt for food, but for business.

* * *

_So, R&R, until next chapter. _


	7. Chapter 7

Word-of-the-Day: (*sigh*) bugbear (yes, this is an actual word, according to Dictionary. com)

Definition: any source, real or imaginary of needless fear

Quick summary: We go back in time to little Tigerclaw again. He has a lot to be afraid of…

* * *

The young tiger mutant looked cautiously back and forth as he darted from alley to alley in the night. Although he had escaped from the circus weeks ago the panic of being re-captured remained with him. Any human he saw- especially the men- was a bugbear for him; sending him into near panic whenever he came across one.

Gone were images of smiling school children, comforting parents, friends and family; replaced by the ring master and his cold stare, the jeering crowds, and worse, the trainer towering over him threateningly. He wanted to have nothing to do with humans again.

* * *

_Gosh these are all so depressing; maybe I should change the genre to angst. And, in case you haven't noticed (or have just started reading this), this story now actually has cover art, done by me! Yay! Anyway, R&R, until next chapter! _


	8. Chapter 8

Word-of-the-Day: enervate

Definition: to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality

Quick summary: Tigerclaw's cause for vengeance.

* * *

Two warriors stared each other down, prepared to fight. They had feuded for years, but finally Tigerclaw's rival officially challenged him. Today, steel would settle this.

Both charged, swords clashing with a resounding clang. They clashed several times, before with one skilled twist, Tigerclaw poised his sword under his opponents' head.

"Surrender."

"Not without consolation!"He slashed at Tigerclaw with a hidden blade, who fell to the ground, enervated by white-hot pain shooting up his spine. He looked up to see his rival escaping with his tail clenched in his hand.

Anger fueled him, and Tigerclaw screamed, "I will get revenge!"

* * *

_Tigerclaw speaks! Yay, finally some dialogue. R&R _


	9. Bonus Word!

Word-of-the-Day bonus chapter: camelopard (yes, this is a word. I'm not making this stuff up!)

Definition: a giraffe

Quick summary: Another country, another job, another rich guy with a strange hobby to kill.

* * *

Tigerclaw scanned his surroundings; the inside of a mansion that housed his current prey. He tensed as his eyes caught sight of a figure, before realizing it was only a stuffed animal. A quick glance at the plaque below supplied the label "camelopard".

Further inspection of the room showed walls lined with taxidermy of all kinds. He froze, fur raised, when he caught sight of a stuffed tiger- stood up mid-pounce, never to reach its prey. Resolutely suppressing a shiver, he continued silently down the hall to finish his job. This was one kill he could ease his conscience about.

* * *

_I technically wrote this yesterday, but forgot to post it, whoops! Well, here you go, a bonus chapter! R&R, until next chapter! _


	10. Chapter 10

Word-of-the-Day: equanimity

Definition: mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium.

Quick summary: Even Tigerclaw has his exposed moments.

* * *

Even the strongest of warriors can get nightmares. Their pride unable to resist as they drift in subconscious dreamworlds makes their mind have no guilt in being afraid. And so even Tigerclaw, a fierce warrior who was usually nothing but equanimity, could be found every now and again waking from his rest with a scream or a strangled yowl, claws digging into the side of the bed that had been lent to him. His past haunted his nightmares. Even after waking- the nightmares gone- the memories that they rooted from would flash across his mind, probably never to leave him.

* * *

_This word was so Tigerclaw I almost didn't even know what to do with it. So, R&R, until next chapter! _


	11. Chapter 11

Word-of-the-Day: brusque

Definition: abrupt in manner; blunt; rough

Quick summary: The Mutants chat, and Tigerclaw is less-than-forthcoming.

* * *

"So, what's your story, anyway?"

Tigerclaw internally flinched at the nonchalant question from Bradford, who sat across the table from him at the Foot HQ dining room (which was mostly empty since robots had replaced soldiers).

"A person's past is their own, and I'd rather not talk about mine" he answered, more brusquely than he normally would have.

"Yeah but," his ally pushed hesitantly "If we're going to work together, don't you think we should know each other a little?"

Memories played back in Tigerclaw's mind, most horrible. "Trust me, my friend; you would not want to hear my story."

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter (though, with school starting up, who knows when those could be?) _


	12. Holy Story-Arc, Batman!

Word-of-the-Day: aperçu

Definition: an immediate impression; _especially_**:** an intuitive insight, or a brief survey or sketch

Quick Summary: Tigerclaw gets captured while on a mission. *gasp*

* * *

Tigerclaw opened his eyes to relative darkness. Relative; because to a human it would have been pitch black, but he could see gray walls; and had a sense of size and shape of the room. This wasn't much helpful, so he consulted a sense more informative than sight.

He sniffed the air. Animals straw metal sweat rope all invaded his nose, giving him an aperçu of where he was imprisoned. His breath hitched when he smelled something all-too-familiar. No… he couldn't be back in this place; he had escaped! Facts said otherwise. Tigerclaw had been brought back to the circus.

* * *

_This is probably going to take a few hundred words to finish. I'm thinking three-ish. R&R, until next chapter! _


	13. HSAB! part 2: Interrogation

Word-of-the-Day: Rapport

Definition: relation marked by harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity

Quick summary: An interrogation while captured.

* * *

The cell window opened and the man at it said, "So, you've finally been brought back to me. Ya shoulda known. Freaks like you can't get much farther than the circus."

Tigerclaw didn't reply. He and ringmaster had never had a rapport, and he knew nothing had changed. Rather than listen to ringmaster's speech, he planned his second escape.

"Silent as ever, huh? I used to think you were too dumb to talk, but then you went and escaped."

Tigerclaw remained silent.

Ringmaster huffed, and closed the window, saying, "No escaping this time"

_Yeah, right. _thought Tigerclaw as the window closed.

* * *

_I feel like this might cause confusion, so I'll clarify. I know I said in the other chapter that Tigerclaw would cry for his parents/ speak and stuff, but he fell silent right after that, and didn't talk often. Just, you know, clearing that up. R&R, until next chapter! _


	14. HSAB! part 3: Escape

Word-of-the-Day: fink

Definition: to inform to the police; squeal.

Quick Summary: Time to escape!

* * *

Night fell, and Tigerclaw readied for his escape. He wasn't a helpless cub anymore; this time he'd escape without luck.

He scoffed at the cell's steel door. Such puny, thin metal. He ran his claws through it, carving his own door. Stepping out into the open air, he saw ringmaster staring at him and shaking like a leaf. He glared at him baring his fangs, and dared him to stop him. Ringmaster didn't move.

"That's what I thought".

Ringmaster watched Tigerclaw leave, still shaking, and muttered to himself, "Let him leave. Not like he can fink on me for kidnapping, anyway".

* * *

_And, end. Of story-arc, not of the story, of course. R&R, until next chapter! _


	15. Chapter 15

_Bubblyshell22 (PM's not working for some reason, so I'm replying to your review this way): Ha, ha, well, the ringmaster's not very brave. He's really just all talk. Tigerclaw scared him so much that he decided NOT to try and stop him. _

* * *

Word-of-the-Day: crazy-quilt

Definition: resembling a patchwork quilt without a design **:** haphazard

Quick summary: Random piece of a moment. A calm night of roof-top jumping.

* * *

The roof-tops lay crazy-quilt below, as Tigerclaw jumped from building to building. Theoretically, he could just use his jetpack, not having to do any jumping at all, but he preferred to travel this way; feeling his leg muscles coil underneath him, and then launching himself into the air across the empty space.

The cold night air whipped at his fur, and he gladly took a break to enjoy the breeze. It wasn't very often that he let himself just relax and enjoy the moment. So he enjoyed the strange calmness of the moment, and looked at the city view below.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter! _


	16. Crossover Chapter

Word-of-the-Day: Ameslan

Definition: American Sign Language

Quick Summary: Things get even more random with a Gargoyles crossover. Tigerclaw, Claw; Claw, Tigerclaw.

* * *

Tigerclaw was admittedly curious, and almost surprised to find _another_ mutant tiger; especially one with wings.

The mutate looked equally curious, and a lot more surprised.

_Did Sevarius do this to you? _He asked in ameslan, which Tigerclaw fortunately knew.

"No"

The mute tiger's curiosity turned to confusion, for reasons unknown to Tigerclaw, but continued on.

_Oh. Well, if you want to stay, the Labyrinth is open to anyone. Name's Claw, by the way. _

"_Tiger_claw, and no, I'm fine."

_Alright, _replied Claw with a silent sigh of disappointment,_ Feel free to come back, though. Talon and Maggie'd like to meet you. _

"Maybe"

* * *

_I'm sorry for any confused readers, who don't understand any of this. This is just something I've been wanting to do. If you're really __really __curious, you can watch either the Gargoyles episode "Metamorphosis" or "The Cage" , and those can give you an idea of who Claw (and who the mutates and Sevarius) is. R&R, until next chapter! _


	17. Chapter 17

Word-of-the-Day: singultus

Definition: A hiccup.

Quick summary: Sometimes random strangers can do you a kindness. (Post-circus, pre- criminal underworld)

* * *

Tigerclaw sat, counting the money that he'd found.

"Not even-hic!- enough for-hic!- a can of tuna…" he sighed to himself. Great, he had hiccups, _and_ he'd be scavenging dinner.

"A horrible case of singultus" Tigerclaw turned in surprise, to see a man come towards him.

Sensing no hostility, Tigerclaw asked, confused, "Sing-hic!-gul-hic!-_what_?"

"Hiccups" he replied with a strange knowing smile. "Fortunately, I know just the right cure; that's pretty cheap."

Tigerclaw looked down at his meager earnings, when he heard clinking, and his pile grew. Looking up, he saw the man smile at him, winking, before he left the alley.

* * *

_You know, just your usual weird guy in an alley who knows fancy terms and doesn't mind mutants. Like…the Professor (2k3 series). Yeah, think of that guy like the Professor. Meh… I think I'm better off writing angst… R&R, until next chapter! _


	18. Chapter 18

Word-of-the-Day: cherry-pick

Definition: to select with great care

Quick Summary: Food isn't always easy to find when you aren't working.

* * *

When it came to finding his meals every day, Tigerclaw couldn't cherry-pick. If he had money from a job, than life was better, he could either disguise himself to buy food, or have someone else buy it for him.

But, when he was in-between jobs, with no money to speak of, he'd hunt or scavenge to get meals. Sick as it might seem to a human, he vastly preferred to hunt instead of scavenge. The food tasted fresher when he hunted it, and was undeniably _his_, so never could it be said that he had to rely on others to survive.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter! _


	19. Chapter 19

Word-of-the-Day: crinose

Definition: hairy

Quick summary: The moment his life changed forever.

* * *

Pain flooded his body, threatening to make him pass out, but he fought against it. But, as he looked down at his arm, and saw it become crinose with orange fur, he thought maybe it would've been better to be unconscious, after all.

He bit his lip to stop himself from screaming as the pain continued, but he did anyway as his teeth turned into fangs; piercing his bottom lip. He had fought unconsciousness off as long as he could, but as the mutation came to end, he collapsed. When he woke up, his life could never be the same.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter. Seriously, please review. _


	20. Chapter 20

_Anything in italics is within-the-story-wise being said in Japanese. _

Word-of-the-Day: pica

Definition: an abnormal desire to eat substances not usually eaten

Quick summary: Immediately following the last chapter.

* * *

He woke up in a small cage, disorientated and confused, because everything was just _too much_. Too much sound, too much smell, too much _hair, _too many urges_. _Fight and flight, a pica in his mind for raw meat, restlessness in the night.

He clenched his hands over his ears, finding that they had migrated to the top of his head, crying with the overwhelmingness of it all. He shook his head furiously, trying to get it all to just _go away. _

"_Mommy"_, he whimpered, curling up against the side of the cage, hoping instinctively that she'd make this better.

* * *

_R&R,PLEASE! Until next chapter! _


	21. Chapter 21: Mini-song fic

_Note: I'm cheating a little on the word count, because I really want to make this a song fic. So, song lyrics I use, since they technically aren't my words, do not count in my word count. You know, in case anyone was serious to holding me to the 100-word 'challenge' I've set for myself. I don't own Cats: The Musical, or any of the lyrics from the song I'm using. _

* * *

Word-of-the-Day: rapt

Definition: deeply engrossed or absorbed

Quick summary: A cat has not one, but three names.

* * *

_I tell you a cat must have three different names._

Tigerclaw's no exception to this rule, even if he was once human.

_First of all, there's the name that the family use daily _

In his case, the name that Ringmaster gave him. Oh, no, that man had not named him Tigerclaw, Saber: The Mutant Tiger Kid, he thinks his name was then.

_But I tell you a cat needs a name that's particular  
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified  
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular  
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?_

When he left the circus, he shed his undignified circus name, and renamed himself. Tigerclaw; a name that suited him, and kept his pride.

_But above and beyond there's still one name left over  
And that is the name that you never will guess  
The name that no human research can discover  
But the cat himself knows, and will never confess_

Tigerclaw's original, human name. The name he'd tell no-one; that he'd hold close to himself, thinking about it, and recalling the memories it contained as he stared up at the full moon rapt in thought.

_When you notice a cat in profound meditation  
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:  
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation  
Of the thought  
Of the thought  
Of the thought  
Of his name _

* * *

_R&R., please. The only review I've gotten recently is a flame. :/ Until next chapter! _


	22. Chapter 22

Word-of-the-Day: impregnable

Definition: unconquerable

Quick summary: Following the events of chapter 8

It was a sorry sight to see: the impregnable Tigerclaw, lying face down in the dust, blood pouring down his legs.

Growling lowly at his rival, he pushed himself to his feet, craning his neck to look at the extensiveness of his injury. Pain throbbed up his spine, and the blood trickled down to his ankle-fur, but Tigerclaw ignored it; wrapping his handkerchief around the stub that was once his tail. After a brief moment of self-pity-his poor _tail_- his thoughts turned to anger at his rival. Vowing revenge once more, Tigerclaw stalked back to his hideout to rest and heal.

_R&R,Until next chapter. _


	23. Chapter 23

Word-of-the-Day: tantivy

Definition: a rush

Quick summary: Young Tigerclaw learns that the world's view of him has changed.

* * *

The just-recently-mutated child sprinted home, occasionally stumbling over his unfamiliar new legs and tail. The thought of home shadowed recent events, so he didn't think twice about running into town.

As screams erupted around him, he looked behind him, wondering why. He looked forward again to see a tantivy of men come towards him, armed. He froze, confused about why they were attacking him- he was only a boy! He broke out of it when a bullet grazed his arm, scraping the skin beneath his pelt. Tears welling up in pain and fear, he turned and fled from the town.

* * *

_R&R, please! Until next chapter! _


	24. Chapter 24

Word (phrase?) of the Day: sotto voce

Definition: under the breath; in an undertone or in a private matter

Quick summary: Everyone has feelings and wants to love and be loved, including Tigerclaw. He's just hid them away, locked them in a safe, and then built a brick wall around that safe. But, when he was younger… (Teenager, barely pre-criminal-underworld)

* * *

He first saw her when he was hunting for dinner. She wasn't special, just another human. If he was honest, what first attracted him to her was that she had food, generously given to who needed it.

But then he kept seeing more of her. She helped the homeless community, but unlike other humans she didn't seem afraid or repulsed.

Then, he'd go out of his way to see her. He imagined them meeting, and her not being afraid.

But she never saw him. The closest he got to their meeting was a sotto voce "hi" spoken to the shadows.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter! _


	25. Chapter 25

Word-of-the-Day: demesne

Definition: a region or domain

Quick Summary: Enter: the rival (late 20's-ish, I think)

* * *

Tigerclaw watched the man, frowning. This was _his _demesne, anyone who did business in this part of town could tell you that. And yet, this _stranger_, this _human_, was operating on his turf.

Tigerclaw huffed in annoyance. If humans didn't have such pathetic senses of smell, there would be no question of whose territories were whose. He had lived in, worked in, and scratched this area enough that any creature with a sensible nose would know this was his area, and not to push into it. This man had to learn, or Tigerclaw would confront him, and it wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter! _


	26. Chapter 26

Word-of-the-Day: yaff

Definition: to bark or yelp

Quick summary: Tigerclaw reflects while carrying an injured team-mate back to base. (Post-"Invasion")

* * *

Tigerclaw attempted to ignore the chaos that raged around him as he carried unconscious Bradford back to Foot HQ.

And yet part of him thought this wasn't his fight. He was an assassin; hired to kill Shredder's enemies. Not to take over the world.

He especially didn't want to conquer Earth for the Kraang. Although he accepted his mutant life, he still fiercely hated the aliens. They had taken a child from his home, and torn his life apart. That he couldn't forget.

A soft yaff from Bradford broke him from his thoughts, and Tigerclaw continued back to the Foot base.

* * *

_After rewinding and pausing the part where Tigerclaw says "the city is ours" and looking intently at his expression too many times, I've determined that he isn't exactly happy about it. Then I got to thinking about what his job is, and decided that taking over the world really isn't in his job description. R&R, until next chapter! _


	27. Chapter 27

Word-of-the-Day: mythomane

Definition: a person with a strong or irresistible propensity for fantasizing

Quick summary: More circus-reflecting (happy this time, I promise. Also, first person! What?).

* * *

When I was a young man, sometimes I tried to picture my family. Of my human family, I barely remembered anything, only glimpses.

The main images to come to mind were the people that raised me during my new life. The other "circus freaks"; the werewolf-man mythomane who told stories, the Siamese twins who simultaneously were my mother and aunt, the bearded lady who was a grandmother to us all. They comforted me on the worst days (often I would be treated far worse than any of us, probably because I was the least human), and were there for me.

* * *

_R&R, until next chapter! _


End file.
